MY THOUGHTS ON JAPAN. Having Lived for 1 MONTH in Tokyo, Japan
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- What is the experience for foreigners to stay/live for awhile in Japan? I’ve always had an interest in Japan. In my late teens and twenties I was really into music, listening to punk, new wave and mod bands. Popular subcultures were a big thing in the 70’s and 80s and I dressed accordingly, kept in touch with my favourite groups and musicians by reading the New Musical Express and Sounds weekly music newspapers, plus The Face AND SMASH HITS magazines. Fashion styles were constantly changing.
Groups were now creating music videos which were showcased on the the MTV channel. The Face magazine would publish a lot of Japanese influences. David Bowie, my idol was big in Japan. One of my favourite new wave groups were called Japan. Be Bop Deluxe another one of my favourite groups also had a song called er you guessed it……. Japan.
So Japan was very much on my radar. But also very out of my reach as it was considered a very expensive country to visit. Unlike India which was the first south-east Asian country I visited in 1987. So I bought The Lonely Planet guide to Japan which I placed on my bookshelf and left it there gathering dust for 2 decades.
In 2007 I was living in London. I’d been working in a library for 6 years. Both my parents had recently died and I came into some inheritance. Over the past 30 years the yen has fluctuated between 120 - 260 yen to the British pound. During summer 2007 it was hovering around 240. The highest it had been against the £ for almost 10 years. So this was the time for me to go and I made plans to stop work, give up my flat and travel to Japan for the first time. I arrived on New Year’s Eve, not realising just how cold Tokyo gets during winter. I hate the cold, so this was a bit of a schoolboy error on my part. But I rented an apartment and stayed in Tokyo for 5 months at the start of 2008 before travelling to other neighbouring Asian countries.
Over the years I’ve yearned to return to experience Japan during the summer. But I can’t believe It’s taken me 16 years to go back there. Having gone to the Beijing Olympics in China in 2008, I proposed that I’d return to Japan in 2020 to coincide with the Tokyo Olympics. But covid scuppered those plans. The Olympics was put back a year to 2021, but sadly no spectators were allowed.
So here I am in 2024, back in Japan.
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#tokyo
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I lived in Tokyo 6 years. Being fluent in Japanese will open a lot of doors
I lived in Japan for 10 years so here's my $0.02 worth.
Japan ISN'T strange. It's that YOU don't fit there. It's a completely different culture from Philippines (and far more affluent, advanced and sophisticated) and if you've been to Japan before you should know that. The Japanese don't normally talk to strangers (unless their job requires them to) and they don't go around greeting and smiling at everyone they pass in the street. If you do that in Japan they'll think you're loco/crazy ("henna gaijin" = strange/weird foreigner). They avoid direct or prolonged eye contact with strangers. Also, most Japanese don't speak English or speak it well so if you approach them in the street speaking English you will very likely embarrass them/make them feel uncomfortable.
It's their culture, they keep themselves to themselves in public (unless out with family, friends or co-workers drinking in the evening). The only way to really get to know the Japanese is to live and work there and learn the language, like the 3 young foreign guys you interviewed. The Japanese have a public and private face (honnae and tatemae) and as a visitor all you will see is the public face and you'll only touch the surface of Japan - - like observing it from a train window. It can take years to fully understand the people, their culture, country and mentality. Japan is unlike anywhere else on this planet.
So, if you don't like walking around Japan feeling invisible as a tourist, not being noticed or getting the daily attention you seem to crave, then you're in the wrong country buddy. And unlike Filipinas Japanese women aren't interested in old single foreign men ("oyaji") or their pensions because they've got more money in the bank than we do. Also, J. women don't stay in cheap/one-star hotels and they won't be impressed if you do. They don't like 'Cheap Charlies' so if you want to date a hot young J. woman of model standard you better be young, handsome and have a high income/top job/expat package ideally living and working there with a paid high-end company apartment in one of the most desirable city areas.
Nor is Japan necessarily "isolating" for a single man. It can be for a single tourist like you who doesn't speak Japanese or know the country well, but I lived there as a single man and had a great time. There weren't enough hours in the week to fit in all the dating options available to me. You need to understand the Japanese, their culture, and YOU need to adapt and adjust. You either fit in there or you don't. Japan is NOT for everyone.
Finally, if you're a foreigner and the only place you can afford to retire is Phils or Cambodia then you'll probably feel poor in Japan. My suggestion for Phil: stay in PH or Brighton. You'll fit in better there. 😀
So you are saying Japan is for introverts. That I agree. I've been here for almost 2 decades. My Japanese isn't great, but I can get by. I know enough to attend driving school an get my motorcycle license. I've played in bands and go to weekly jam sessions. I can honestly say I have no friends. Foreign or Japanese. I do have plenty of acquaintances.
Also the way things are going with the yen, it's not far behind in how much the Philippine peso is. Japanese will always have a superiority complex.
@@dayla8634 Most Japanese are introverts. They are shy and they don't like show-offs, noisy tourists or being approached in the street by strangers, especially in English. My point was that Japan is not for attention seekers who go there expecting to be treated like a celebrity because they're a foreigner. Japan is not the Philippines. Due to the devaluation of the yen and recent explosion of tourism there, many Japanese are actually quite tired/fed up of foreign tourists and irritated by them because many don't know the culture and behave there as they would back home - or in the Philippines :)
@@sugoidessho But yet most English speaking foreigners who live here that I have come in to contact with are a bunch of "me me me look at me" Type people. And these are the people that Japanese seemed to be more attracted too. At least where I live .Most foreigners that I have met that don't cause attention to themselves are usually non-American non-tourists.
Yeah, it's tough to chat with Japanese people in public, you have to start off really respectful and GRAB someone's attention to chat, you have a small window to get someone's attention. People avoid eye contact, much different than the Philippines where it feels like people are much warmer.
Japan and Philippines are worlds apart, on so many levels. I can hardly think of any similarities.
As someone who lived in Japan for a while, what are some ways that Japanese people will be receptive when approaching in public? Being polite and speaking Nihongo for sure, it feels like small talk is different. I read even asking "how are you" in Japanese, translates oddly, like a doctor asking their health.
@@netizenplanet You are entirely correct. My point was that the narrator of this channel should have understood that Japan and Philippines are worlds apart in terms of culture and in many other ways. Since he is familiar with both countries and has been to Japan previously he should have been aware of these differences instead of traveling again to Japan and complaining on his channel that it is a "strange" country (it isn't, this You Tuber doesn't understand J. culture and/or doesn't fit there) or that the people are unfriendly. They're not. They just don't greet strangers in the street, they feel very uncomfortable and embarassed being approached by foreigners in the street in English (especially if they don't speak/understand English which most don't) and also they avoid eye contact with strangers. It's THEIR culture and we should respect that. However, if you get to know them, they are among the nicest, kindest, most considerate and most polite people you will meet on this planet. Rudeness is virtually unknown and unlike Filipinos they're not interested in your money (they have more than you), and nor will they overcharge you as a foreigner.
There are no similarities I can think of between Japan and PI except that the women in both countries tend to be childish, immature and easily upset. It's not uncommon to find J. women in their 30s and older sleeping with giant teddy bears and wearing pink 'Hello Kitty' accessories. As for Fillipinas you just need to know and be aware of one word: "tampo." If you have the patience to deal with that, good luck to you, I don't. In both cases you are dealing with adult children who lack the emotional maturity to handle conflict, different views and misunderstandings which occur in any relationship.
To answer your question, J. people in general are not receptive to being approached in public because, again, it's not their culture or custom. My advice would be to avoid doing so unless you are genuinely lost and can ask for assistance in Japanese. The exception would be nightclubs and bars where foreigners hang out. It's okay to approach Japanese in these places (only a tiny minority want to mix with foreigners) but always being polite. If you act drunk or aggressive it's a turn-off for them. If you haven't been to Japan before be advised there is no place like Pattaya or Angeles in Japan and in many Japanese-only establishments such as hostess clubs foreigners are not welcome because the owners and staff want to avoid unnecessary and embarrassing (for them) cultural and language misunderstandings. Finally, they tend not to be good at small talk because most of them are shy/reserved and the vast majority cannot speak English well or fluently unless their job requires it and they're dealing with gaijin every day.
Again, Japan is not for everyone and as another person has commented here, being fluent in Japanese and living and working there will open a lot of doors. As a tourist/you tuber who doesn't speak Japanese or understand their culture you're just an observer passing through and those doors will mostly be closed and unknown to you :)
Stayed rather than 'lived'. In Japan you will only be seen as an 'ojiiii-chan' means grandpa. The Japanese are hyper-suspicious and see will only see you as a 'gaijin' = outsider. it's just the way japan is. The only way to get welcomed in the society is to work or study there and build trust. Then you can make friends and if you are lucky, get laid. It's the same way as when a Filipino walks around London, they're never going to be treated like a minor celebrity as we are in the PH. The PH is the exception to the rule, as you know. Besides that, the best of getting some Japanese snatch is to get them abroad, as they are too worried about protecting their image there.
Sounds very similar to trying to make friends with a cat.
I felt like Japan got a simulated by the Star Trek Borg in the late 90s and now they’ve been fully assimilated and America too
@@mikelandry6397 yes it's the duty of government to control the masses
You nailed it. One could feel completely isolated without social connections or speaking the local language. Japan seems more like a place you’d go to see the sights than get embraced by the culture.
Would you say they are less glued to their phones than in PI?
Hell no. Total immersion, even whilst zombie streetwalking.
I would feel alone in any country without a family or connection. Travelling alone is not my bag. But, different strokes for different folks.
What are you talking about Willis? It’s the best way to travel, no drama
@@mikelandry6397 For some people.
Traveling solo is the only way to go.
@@davidbush131Travelling solo is cheaper.
Yup that's japan. Maybe you need to go to the country side where there are less foreigners. They are usually more curious, but you will still run into the language barrier.
Japan drives everyone bonkers. All the gaijin who have lived there 30 years are nuts.
I lived in Japan for 15 years. The dancing is Bon Odori (盆踊り), meaning simply "Bon dance", is a style of dancing performed during Obon. It is a folk entertainment, which has a history of nearly 600 years. Originally a Nenbutsu folk dance to welcome the spirits of the dead, the style of celebration varies in many aspects from region to region.
It does seem a bit sad coming from the Philippines and going pretty much anywhere else in Asia... It looks like nothing beats the Philippines openly friendly culture.
probably one of the reasons for the high suicide rate there, the isolationist society. you should make more videos on daily life there. head to a hot spring town or something.
i'd be on the next plane back to the PI
Anybody notice that there weren't many cars. Everybody was walking or riding bikes and the streets were not car friendly. This is such the opposite of most of the US. The WEF and UN want this for American cities.
Space is tight in Tokyo, it's the largest metropolitan area in the world by population. It's not a WEF and UN ploy haha. Think about that, more people in one urban area than even India or China.
The streets are people friendly
Japan is mostly mountains, it has great infrastructure and safety standards nationwide.
@@netizenplanet Thanks for your reply. I wasn't trying to imply that the WEF were imposing higher density on Tokyo but want to make this as a model for the US.
I spent some time in S Korea and liked the public transport and walkable neighborhoods. Seoul is also very densely populated.
You seem to be invisible to the people there
Yep it's a cold, soulless society where even in a crowd you can feel all alone. Even lots of Japanese people feel this way which is one of the causes for high suicide rate.
Looks peaceful. Are there any internet chat sites for English speaking folks? Sites with info on local happening like music, arts, bars, nitelife, etc ? How is the food scene? I hear you can eat fairly cheaply. Enjoy and stay safe. 😊
We are concerned about you big mate please spend your time with good people don’t be alone all the time in Japan and try to go Bach Philippines 🇵🇭 where you feel loved and appreciated
I think you have it.
Frenchie old boy, i think you'd like Santa Barbara, California.
Language and patience is key in Japan, my second home. My Kansai wife of 40+ years split our time between the U.S. West Coast and Takarazuka, near Osaka, her family region. I can understand the culture shock of coming from the West, or the Philippines, Japan is not a turn key destination for folks hoping for a quick and easy immersion in a local sense, but it's not a nation of cold people at all. Just takes time, and yeah, if you're a tourist your wallet has a timer on it running.
Go hang out at any Hub bar at 5 pm
Can make a lot of friends fast ;)
At first looked like u where walking in a southern cal beach neighborhood,then kinda like Disney land. Just as groomed and cold. maybe a place just to visit.
Must do better old chap
And flat caps are just for us northerners😉
as an older viewer, who is your peer in age, i ask myself what happens to you when you have health issues with long term decline. as for me, at at 71, canadian govt paid for heart surgery with public health. plus i have home and pension. 😮
He was just nearby "eating sausages"....lol....he ciuld have been t the fish market but opted for sausages....
Japan is one of the best places on planet earth to live a peaceful life, however small daily conversations around town are something you will FORCE yourself into, rather than rolling into them more naturally such as in Philippines. Once you know 20 or so phrases in Japanese, you'll get more smiles.
As far as dating, in Japan and Korea, the girls don't need any money or help.. it's not the reputation of SE Asian countries. You'll need to be more established and integrated, being an older tourist is not their target. With the Japanese especially, they really focus on their jobs, so the number of people dating is much less than say Thailand/Philippines/Vietnam, they take things much slower. In the Philippines, you could find a girl to move in with you in mere weeks....
Extending your stay in a place where you feel alienated, in a residential area not fit for tourists, rather than embrace the vibrant nightlife of the city, but then decide not to visit Osaka and Kyoto after all. Very, very strange.
Interesting to see you on various grounds mate. Japan is it just Japan first, but Japan only. Nice people, of course, but a foreigner will be feeling coldness.
Good place for isolation. Peace.
Yeah, learning the language.. at least a list of phrases will really bring more smiles each day. It's a safe and amazing country, but you have to integrate and adapt, not the other way around.
When I see animals in Japan, even they seem more at peace haha
So many still wearing masks. I know the Japanese wear masks when they are sick, but they cannot all be sick. This makes me sad to see. It is like this in Silicon Valley Ca. People still wearing masks and act like robots. Looks like I need me some PI kindness too!
One can hide behind a mask. Isolate oneself from others. No eye contact, no face contact. Perfect for some.
@@MichaelPrudhomme-u7x In Cali it is fear, you can smell it. I used to live in Japan, but as I am not there now, I cannot determine the state of mind after 2022.
@@GlowmaticBikes I was in Cali during the pandemic. You’re right that many people really believed the mask and 6ft was “protective” 🤣 from an airborne virus.
In Japan it is to hide. My youngest boy told me (when they released the mask mandate) that he didn’t want to take off the mask. I knew he was shy and hiding behind it since he was developmentally retarded by the government. So sad!
Adults however do see it with fear. I have coworkers who wear a mask that way. Despite what they see with their own eyes, the fear keeps them muzzled.
Looking forward to spending a couple weeks there someday soon. it’s definitely different in the way that they wear masks and have no eye contact in avoid interaction with other people.
They were wearing mask way before the c-vid. So it has to be something to do with hiding facial expression. That’s all they have to do is keep their eyes low. To avoid any social interaction.
Definitely strange to a foreigner normal for them .
Definitely looking forward to checking it out over there. I want to ride the bullet train! That’s something I always wanted to do!
The food would be amazing too!!!
@@MikeHoncho884 It is not quite like that. As I mentioned, I lived there for over a year. They are very kind people who did not shy away from interaction (at least for me). I made many Japanese friends and had one of the best times of my life. Most people would smile when they saw me, and we would enjoy our time together. The only ones that wore masks were the sick. They did so to be courteous not to get others sick. I do believe Covid has changed things. Also, Tokyo is very different than other cities in Japan. I lived mostly in Kyoto, but visited Tokyo and other cities quite a bit. Tokyo can be less friendly and more robotic.
You do realize that we are living in a simulation. Right?
Watching this video will result in loss of face.